Safety device for moving-picture booths



Nov. 23 1926.

G. A. MEARS SAFETYDEVICE FOR MOVING PICTURE BCOTHS F'iled' June 11, 19262 Shee ts-Sheet 1 cinema Nov. 23 ,1926.

G. A. MEARS SAFETY DEVICE FOR MOVING PICTURE ESOOTHEE June 11 1926 FiledPatented Nov. 23, 1926 PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE A. MEARS, OF NEWBEBBY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR MOVING-PICTURE BOOTHS.

Application filed June 11, 1926, Serial No. 115,309.

This invention relates to a safety device designed primarily forinstallation in pic ture projecting booths, one of the objects being toprovide a means whereby should a film become ignited in a projectingmachine or on the rewinder, mechanism will be released to automaticallyclose the shutters of the port holes, to cut off the current to theprojecting machines, to automatically start an exhaust fan, and torelease a supply of fire extinguishing fluid so that it will be directedinto the machine or machines where the fire is located.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which can beinstalled readily and, when installed, will in no way interfere with theoperator in the performance of his usual duties.

A further object is to provide a means under the control of the operatorwhereby, in an emergency, he can release the various parts of theapparatus so as to operate in the same manner as though a tire hadoccurred.

YVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in. the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention;

In the accompanying drawings, the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings,

Figure l is a plan View of the complete apparatus, the booths in whichit is located being shown in. section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus, the booth being shown insection.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the lZUtCil] mechanism.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view thereof. Figure 5 is an end elevation.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6, Figure 3, the latch lever beingremoved.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the inflammable anchors used inconnection. with the apparatus.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing an arrangement of an inflammableanchor in connection with the rewinding mechanism.

Figure 9 is a section through the box containing a switch forcontrolling the current to the projecting machine.

ployed. Within the booth and back of,

some of these port holes are located projectmg machines C and at anysuitable point within the booth is a switch boX D containing a switchfor controlling the light in the house and the flow of current to theprojecting machines. Another switch bOXE is located in the booth andcontains a switch for controlling the flow of current to a suitablylocated eXhaust fan which, when operated, will withdraw fumes from thebooth. Film rewinding mechanism is located in the booth as shown at F.The apparatus constituting the present invention is located entirelywithin the booth and the principal part thereof comprises a latch ofnovel construction which has been shown in detail in Figures 3 to 6'inclusive. This latch includes an attaching plate 1 adapted to besecured to the ceiling of the booth or to any other elevated structure.Depending from one end v portion of the attaching plate is a tongue 2provided, near its lower end, with a transverse slot A finger 4; isextended downwardly from the attaching plate between the tongue 2 andthe adjacent end of the plate and is extended outwardly away from thetongue for engagement by one end of a supporting wire 5 which isstretched along the booth near the ceiling and can be attached to onewall thereof as shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2'. A slide 6 ismounted on the tongue and has side ears 7 which engage the side edges ofthe tongue.

Slots 8 are formed in the slide and receive holding screws 9 projectingfrom the tongue. Thus the slide can be moved upwardly and downwardlyupon the tongue and will be properly guided by the screws 9 and the sideears or lugs 7. A slot 10 is formed transversely within the slide and isadapted normally to register with a portion of the slot 3.

A ledge is extended from the upper edge of the slide 6 and is contactedby one end of a cam lever 12 pivotally connected to the tongue 2 asshown at. 13. A cord 14 is attached to the upper arm of this lever andis extended transversely across the booth A andattached to one of thewalls therellU 'is located in each projector of, this cord, which can beknown as an emergency cord being located where it can be easily reachedand pulled by the oc cupant of the booth.

A bail is normally mounted on the finger 4; and is extended upwardlyfrom the sides of an elongated loop 16 one end portion of which iscontracted so as to be insertable freely into the slots 10 and 3. Theother end of the loop is enlarged as indicated at 17 and is supportedbelow the finger 1 under normal conditions. A bracket 18 extendsdownwardly from the attaching strip 1 and pivotally mounted therein is alatch lever 19 having a'short arm 20 from which depends a short nose 21.To the other or long arm of the latch lever is connected a weight 22 or,if preferred, this weight can be made integral with the lever. An eye 23is supported by the attaching strip 1 close to the weighted end of thelatch lever and is designed to support a release cord 2% one end ofwhich is attached to the lever 19 so as to normally support the leverwith nose 21 projecting into the loop 16.

Attached to each projecting machine C at a pointclose to the iilmtherein is a plate 25 provided with an aperture 26. A strip 27 ofcelluloid or other highly ini' "unable material is looped about theapertured portion of this plate. To each end of the ii llammabie strip27 is secured a reinforcing plate 28 havingan opening 29 therein. Oneend of a cord 30 is extended through and sea cured within the apertures29 at the two ends of the strip This cord 30 is extended upwardly trointhe strip 27 through a guide 31 suspended from the ceiling oi the boothand is then extended loosely through a guide ring 32 and a stationaryguide 33. One of these inflammable an- Ehoring devices in the form oi astrip 27 and the two ends of the cord 30 are attachec to the respectiveanchoring strips 27. The releasing cord 21 is Xtendeu through a guise 34and is then looped through th ring 32 so as to support it. From thisring 32 the release cord 2% is extended through guide 35 and throughanother ring located above and 00 adjacent to the rewinding mechanism F.An elongated bracket 37 is secured close to and above the rewindingmechanism and has apertures 38 in the ends thereof. Below each of theseapertures is an angular e2;- tension 39 likewise formed with aperture 40arranged close to the reels or" the rewinding mechanism. An inflammablestrip of celluloid or the like indicated at ll and which constitutes ananchor is looped about the apertured portion 40 of each e2;- tension 39and, like the anchor 27, has reinforcing plates 12 upon the end portionsthereof provided with apertures 43. One end of the releasing cord at isattached to lease the cord attached thereto.

w ll be permitted to release latch lever 19 with the result tiat weight22 will drop.

This action will take place should either of the anchor strips 27 becomeignited by a burning film in either projector or should either oi theanchor strips 1 become ignited by the film being rewound at F.

A shutter 38 is adapted to close each of the port holes B, theseshutters being slidably mounted and being normally suspended above theport holes by cords 39 extending upwardly through guides 40 and thencealong the ceiling to the enlarged portion 17 of loop 16 to which thecords are attached.

Nozzles 4-1 are located where they will direct ets oifluid upon thefilms in the projectors and these nozzles are all in communication witha pipe 42 designed to supply them "1th a fire extinguishing fluid, avalve 43 normally closesthe pipe 1-2 but has a weight 14C for operatingit when released, thereby to open the valve. This weight is normallysupported by a cord 45 extended through a guide 16 and attached to theloop 17.

The switch box l) contains a movable switch member 47 provided with aweight 48. This switch member is normally .in closed position and thuspermits current to fiow to the projecting machines. A cord 49 isattached to the weighted end of the member 50 and thence along theceiling of the booth to the loop enlargement 17. VVithin the switch boxE is located a movable switch member 51 to whi h is connected a weight52 This switch member is normally in open position and a core 53 extendsfrom the weighted end thereof through a suitable guide 5% to the enlared end 17 of the loop 16. i

It will be apparent that when he parts are all positioned as shown anddescribed the apparatus in the booth can be operated in the usual mannerwithout interfering in any way with the movements of the operator. If,however, a film should become ignited in either of the projectingmachines or at the rewinder F, one of the anchors 27 or 41 wouldlikewise become ignited and thus re- As before explained should the cord30 be released at either end or should the cord 3st be released theweighted end of lever 19 willpromptly tall becausethe cords will tend tostraighten out and thereby relieve the Weighted end of 17 and extendsupwardly through a guide lever 19 from its support. As soon as thislever is actuated under its weight 22 the nose 21 will be lifted out ofthe loop 16 and as there is a constant pull upon this loop through thedifferent cords attached to it, said loop, when released, will promptlyslide along finger 15 and onto the wire 5. Thus all of the shutters willclose by gravity, the weighted member 47 in the switch box D will dropand break the circuit to the projecting machine and the weighted member51 will drop and close the circuit to an exhaust fan, not shown, wherebyfumes generated in the booth can be withdrawn. Cord 45 will also bereleased with the result that weight 44 will drop and valve 43 willopen. Consequently jets of fire extinguishing fluid will be directedinto the projecting machines or at any other points Where nozzles may belocated in the booth.

If desired either of the switch members 17 and 51, when actuated by itsweight, can be utilized for turning on the lights in the house.

In the event of an emergency not caused by the ignition of a film or inthe event of failure of the ignited film to release the mechanism, theoperator in the booth, by pulling on the cord 14, can actuate the camlever 12. Thus the lever will press against ledge 11 and thrust theslide 6 downwardly with the result that the loop 16 will be pressed offof the nose 21 and the various cords thus be actuated as heretoforeexplained to permit closing of the shutters, etc.

A main switch can be located in the booth A at the boXE whereby thecurrent can be controlled by the operator whenever desired.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. The combination with a support, a member suspended therefrom andmounted for sliding movement relative thereto, gravity operatedelements, and supporting con nections between said elements and thesuspended member, of a gravity operated lever, and means for holdingsaid lever out of normal position and in engagement with the supportedslidable member, said means including a highly combustible portion.

2. The combination with a weighted lever and cooperating means forholding the lever against movement under the action of its weight, saidmeans including highly combustible portions, of a support, a membermounted to slide thereon and normally restrained by the lever, a gravityoperated member, and a supporting connection between said member and themember engaged by the lever.

3. The combination with a latch lever having a weight at one end, ofcooperating flexible means for holding the weighted end pf the levernormally elevated, said holding means including a plurality of highlycombustible anchors, a slidably supported member normally restrained bythe supported latch lever, a plurality of gravity operated members, andflexible supporting connections between said members and the restrainedslidable member.

4. The combination with a latch lever having a weight at one end, ofcooperating flexible means for holding the weighted end of the levernormally elevated, said holding means including a plurality of highlycombustible anchors, a slidably supported member normally restrained bythe supported latch lever, a plurality of gravity operated members,flexible supporting connections between said members and the restrainedslidable member, and means under the control of an operator fordisengaging said slidable member from the lever.

5. The combination with an enclosure having port holes and gravityoperated shutters for closing the same, of a latch lever having aweighted end, flexible means for normally supporting the weighted end,said means including hi hly inflammable anchors and holdingdevicesengaged by the anchors, a loop, means for supporting the loop forsliding movement, said loop being normally engaged and restrained by thelever, and flexible supporting connections between the shutters and theloop.

6. The combination with an enclosure and a film holding means therein,of a highly inflammable looped strip constituting an anchor, means forengaging the anchor at a point adjacent the held film, a weighted latchlever, a flexible connection between the weighted end of said lever andthe anchor for holding the weighted end normally elevated, a gravityoperated safety device, and means normally restrained by the latch leverfor releasing thesafety device when the lever is actuated by its weight.

7. In apparatus of the class described an attaching plate, a tonguedepending there from having a slot, a supporting finger, a loop normallyextended through the slot, a bail projecting therefrom in slidingengagement with the finger, a lever having a weighted arm, said leverbeing supported by the attaching plate, means on the lever for engagingthe loop to hold it against sliding movement, means including a highlyinflammable portion, for holding the lever against movement by itsweight, and a safe ty device connected to the loop, said lever, whenactuated by its weight constituting means for releasing the loop topermit actuation of the safety device.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature.

GEORGE A. MEARS.

